


Safe House

by tjs_whatnot



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Coming Out, First Time, HP: EWE, M/M, Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-09 18:45:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11674962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tjs_whatnot/pseuds/tjs_whatnot
Summary: Surviving the war, Severus is determined to live his life, to follow his own desires and wants above all else. When he's sent to a safe house in preparation for his trial, he is reconnected with two former students who are fumbling through the beginnings of their life; still trying to sort what it is they want the most. Can Severus get what he wants while also teaching them to face their fears and become who they are?





	Safe House

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, my boys! I love when I find a prompt that just won’t let me go and demands my attention. I love it most when the prompter is also someone I’m quite fond of. ♥

"Well, this is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into," Ron huffed as they stopped on the 5th floor landing outside the flat used by the Ministry as a safe house.

"I got us into?" Harry retorted reaching for the door handle. "How is this _my_ fault? You think I wanted this assignment?"

"Hey, let’s be Aurors, you said. It will be fun, you said. We’ll have adventures and get to get the bad guys _for a living_. When exactly does it get fun? When _exactly_ do we have adventures and get the bad guys?" Ron continued as they walked into the flat.

"First, I’m pretty sure I didn’t say any of those things, and second, we’re Aurors-in-Training, how many bad guy missions do you think they’re going to give us?"

"Well yeah, that might be true for real people, but come on, Harry, this is us. Weren’t we war heroes like _yesterday_? And now we’re what? Babysitters?"

"Not at all. We are valued Ministry officers in charge of the security of a very important prisoner standing trial for war-crimes. A prisoner who is a reputed double agent whose testimony could implicate a lot of dangerous people. A prisoner—"

"Who is sitting right in front of you enjoying being talked about like a piece of meat," Severus Snape muttered from the sofa he was sitting on.

Ron swallowed, Harry blushed. "Sorry, sir."

"Sir? _Now_ you call me sir?"

Harry blushed an even deeper shade of crimson. "I’ve grown up a lot in the last year, sir. I take the whole respect of my elders bit more seriously now that we have so few."

Snape bent his head. Both Harry and Ron waited for some scathing, snarky remark.

"Anyway, Mr Weasley, this assignment is completely you and your friend here's fault."

"How do you figure?" Ron asked.

"If you and Ms. Granger hadn’t taken it upon yourselves to save me while your partner went on to save the rest of the wizarding world; if you would have just let me lie there and bleed to death, we wouldn’t be here. And you, Mr Potter, if you hadn’t sung my praises quite so loudly, quite so publicly, I assure you, I would have been the last recipient of the Dementor’s Kiss, making this whole trial completely unnecessary. Really, this is entirely your fault. Both of you."

"Sorry, sir," Ron said. "Won’t happen again."

They watched with amazement as Snape’s lip twitched in what, on any other man, could possibly, _maybe_ resemble the actual beginnings of a smile.

"See that it doesn’t, Mr Weasley."

"Yes sir."

"So, how will this work?" Snape asked. "I can’t be expected to confine myself to these rooms alone? With the likes of you two and no other companionship?"

"These rooms are a lot bigger than what you’re facing if convicted. Besides, I never took you for someone who needed a lot of companionship," Ron said, bluntly.

Snape sneered and Harry and Ron were oddly reassured by that, put them right back in familiar footing.

"Until the trial, it will just be Auror Weasley and I here with you around the clock, in shifts. You will also be allowed to be visited by your court appointed solicitor. However, since you are a high-risk prisoner— meaning there are many out there on both sides who’d like to see you dead, for the time being— you are not allowed other visitors, your food will be tested by us first, anything that comes into these rooms will be tested by us first actually."

"Ah, how lucky for me that you two are so very well versed and educated on the signs of poison and their antidotes."

The sarcasm dripped from his lips but Harry ignored it. "We’re as good as your tutelage allowed. I guess if you’d known that someday your life would depend on it, you’d had spent less time handing out detentions and stripping house points and more time, more patience in your teaching style… _sir_."

Snape breathed deep through his teeth for a moment before countering. "You don’t think I spent all my days while you were at Hogwarts with the knowledge that someday my life would depend on you and what you knew? What you had learned? I think you’ll find, Mr Potter, that through the years, there will be many, many things that I taught you, both in and out of the classroom that will prove useful."

They stared at each other awhile before Ron clapped his hands. "Well, there you have it, your life is in good hands, Professor. Nothing to worry about. Now, should we talk about the arrangements, the shifts, if there are things you’ll be needing…?"

"By all means, do proceed."

Ron got down to business. "The larger bedroom over there-" He pointed to the opened door off the kitchen. "-is your bedroom, sir. In there you will find a bed, a desk and a reading chair for those times that you’d rather be alone. The smaller room will be for us… well not us together naturally… but for our use… individually of course... "

Ron’s face was ruby red and his tongue was tied beyond recoiling. Harry ignored Ron’s flustered demeanor and continued with the instructions. "That room will remain off limits as we will be keeping our surveillance equipment, our logs and communiques in there. It’s also the only access to the Floo network."

"So, your rooms are off limits, noted." Snape said, but then asked with a tone that Harry and Ron were unfamiliar with. "But you are allowed in my private rooms, no?"

They looked at each other puzzled. "Of course, but… we will of course respect your privacy as much as possible," Harry answered.

"Naturally."

Ron continued. "As you can see, the kitchen is rudimentary at best. We will rely heavily on take away and the occasional leftovers brought in from home."

"Ah, so you still live with your parents, do you?" Snape asked.

"Yes, I moved back after… I mean to say… uh… yes, for the time being," Ron stammered.

Snape studied him. Harry once again took over. "Ron and I will be trading off in 8-hour shifts. This will allow us both to go home for rest and to continue our training while also making sure you are protected at all times."

"It seems you have thought of everything," Snape said.

"We are prepared for any contingency," Harry said.

"Excellent," Snape said, only sounding slightly skeptical. "I will relax and retire to my room."

Ron and Harry looked at each other. "Maybe this won’t be so bad."

***

And, to their complete shock and amazement, it wasn’t.

"Did you get all that I required, Mr Potter?" Snape asked when Harry came back that night for his first shift. He’d spent a good part of his time away collecting all that Snape had asked for to make his time in the temporary incarceration manageable.

"There were a few things that the Ministry couldn’t approve, but I’m sure after some time with good behavior, you’ll be allowed."

"Fine," Snape huffed. "As long as the whiskey wasn’t one of those things. I’m afraid that’s a deal breaker."

Harry chuckled. "No. To quote the Minister himself—" Harry cleared his throat to imitate Kingsley Shacklebolt’s tone. "If half the things you said about Severus Snape are true, the man deserves a drink."

"At the least," Snape replied, reaching for the proffered bottle.

"Enough about that," Ron said coming out of the bathroom. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair was dripping. "Did you bring dinner?"

He looked from Harry to Snape, both were just standing there staring at him. "What? Is something wrong?"

Harry shook himself, but it was Snape that responded. "Nothing at all wrong. Apparently, Auror training has agreed with you."

Ron looked down at his chest and his biceps, and when he looked back he was cherry red and couldn’t look Harry in the eye. If he could, he would see that Harry couldn’t take his eyes off Ron, _all_ of Ron.

Snape saw it though. He smiled. "Yes, Mr Potter, what did you bring us for dinner?"

"Dinner?" he asked before snapping out of his daze. "Oh right, yes, dinner. I brought curry."

"Excellent!" Ron clapped his hands. "I’ll just go get dressed and I’ll be right back out."

He came back out moments later to find the table set and Snape and Harry waiting for him. "Smells delicious."

"Sit down, let’s eat."

They enjoyed a quiet meal and Ron was just about to start clearing the table when Harry said, "Snape’s solicitor will be here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? During my shift?"

Harry nodded.

"Oh man, Harry, you have to come relieve me."

"Come on, man. You can’t keep avoiding her."

"Who her?" Snape asked.

"Hermione," Harry answered as Ron groaned.

"Hermione Granger? Hermione _Granger_? My solicitor, for whom my entire future rides is Ms. Granger?" He reached for the unopened whiskey bottle. "My fate is in the hands of children. How is this my life?" 

"Karma I suppose," Harry answered. "But don’t worry, she’s not your only defense. She’s just in charge of the beginning investigations and interviews. You know how Hermione likes to research and discover things."

"So, I’m a project for her."

Harry looked at Ron before answering. "Well, she needed a new one."

"Since she dumped the last one," Ron muttered before standing up. "I’m going to go. I’ll need to be rested before I face her tomorrow. You good here, Harry?"

"Yeah, I’m good."

The door had barely shut before Snape held up the bottle. "Drink, Mr Potter?"

"I’m on duty. I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed."

"Ah, but aren’t you to test everything before I partake of it?"

Harry swallowed. Those _were_ the rules.

So, he had a drink, and no one died. He had another, just in case. Again, no one died. In fact, he was surprised to discover, that with a few drinks in him, Snape was actually not a horrible person to be around. And with a few more drinks in Harry, he was willing and almost eager to talk to Snape. Ask him things he’d wanted to know.

"So," Harry started, letting the burn of the whiskey spur him on. "My mum…"

"Yes?" Snape said.

"What was she like?"

Snape stared off for a very long time before he took a drink and then sighed. "She was lovely. Truly. Inside and out, the best… best person… to everyone she met…"

"You loved her?" Harry whispered, knowing the answer and not sure if he wanted to know more, but unable to stop himself from asking.

Snape smiled sadly. "Ah, I did. Very much."

"And did you… you two… ever…"

Snape choked on the swallow of whiskey he had taken. "Gods no!"

Harry was both relieved and oddly offended by Snape’s reaction. _What was wrong with his mother?_ He’d certainly _seemed_ to love her like that, if his memories were to be believed.

"Let’s just say," Snape said after a long pause and a deep breath, "That your mother was the best beard a closeted gay man could ask for."

Now it was Harry’s turn to choke on his drink. "Beard? Gay? Who? _You?_ "

"See, it worked. Fooled everyone."

" _You_?" Harry asked again.

"Yes, me. You?"

Harry swallowed "What do you mean, me?"

"You and Ginny."

"What about us? She wasn’t my beard! She was… was…"

"The wrong Weasley?"

" _What_!?"

Snape didn’t answer, just raised an eyebrow and waited.

Harry's blush was slow. "I don't know what you mean."

"You really don't know how obvious you are, do you?"

"Obvious about what?"

Snape's look turned to pitying, but he didn't elaborate. "Nevermind. My mistake."

It was quiet for a long time as they both considered the glasses they were holding. Finally, Harry took a long drink, wiped his mouth and asked in a whisper, "How obvious?"

Snape still looked pitying, but it was softer. "Not overly really. I'm sure no one else sees it."

"You did."

"Well, I've spent a very long time these last seven years studying your every move, your every motive, emotion. I'm a bit of a Harry Potter expert. More than that though, I'm an expert at swallowing and stomping out feelings, from denying myself what I really want."

Harry took another swallow, feeling the heat of it running through his bloodstream. "And what is that you want?"

Snape looked from Harry and the empty glass he was holding to the almost empty bottle between them. "Right now, my wants are simple. I want to feel, to touch, to taste. I want a reminder to what life could be, that it was all worth it."

Harry bit his lip before whispering hoarsely. "None of that sounds simple to me."

Snape lifted his head to the ceiling and laughed softly. "That's because you're thinking too hard."

"I am?"

"Shocking, I know," Snape said with a smirk.

Harry scowled at the dig, but instead of taking the bait, he sighed. "I just want him."

Snape drained the last of his glass. "I know. But, believe me when I tell you, putting all your hope of happiness on one person is never a good idea."

"Who did you put your hopes in?" Harry asked.

"This isn't about me. You can learn from my mistakes without hearing the details of said mistakes."

"So, what should I do instead?"

Snape sat at the edge of his seat, leaned in. "Find happiness where you can." He reached over and wrapped his fingers around Harry's glass. "Take what you can from people willing to give it to you."

Harry swallowed hard, licked at his chapped lower lip. "You?"

"Willing?"

Harry nodded.

"Yes. And able."

"Able to what?"

"What I've always done; prepare you for the future. Teach you."

"Teach me… what?"

Snape got down on a knee before Harry. "How to give and receive pleasure, how to find joy in the little things, and, if necessary, how to move on."

Harry looked down to where Snape was between his legs looking up at him waiting for Harry's consent. Harry could hear the rushing of blood in his veins, could feel his heart's pounding and he slowly nodded his answer. "Professor."

Snape put his hand on Harry's thigh and squeezed. "Call me Severus." 

"Sev…verus? I don't… don't know if I…" And like that, Harry instantly sobered up and shot up to his feet, pushing Snape away as carefully as possibly in his haste. "Sorry… I uh… have to… to report in… into the Ministry…"

Harry didn’t know what he expected from Sever… from Snape anymore, but the way that he sat there on his knees, the way his head was bowed in acceptance, in something like contrition made Harry pause. Of all the things he’d seen and heard that night, Snape in that position was the most awing. 

The next morning, he prepared himself for a bit of awkward. He really hoped that instead of that, Ron would come relieve him before he had to see Snape. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door to his room and sighed with relief when he saw Ron’s figure curled up on the sofa, mumbling in his sleep.

He tiptoed to the other room, not wanting to wake either of the other men in the flat. He sat in the lounge chair he had been sitting in last night and his mind went to what had happened the night before. He had almost wished that the alcohol that had been swimming in his system last night would have taken the brain cells needed for memory with it. But no, he remembered everything; especially the way his body had responded to Snape’s touch.

Harry watched Ron; curled up, his back to the room his freckled shoulders peeking from the tight tank-top where his back’s muscles, toned from Auror training, were outlined. He looked strong and capable, but the way he’s rolled up in a ball indicated to Harry— who would never admit how many times he’s watched Ron sleep— that he’s either in need of a blanket, or is dreaming of hiding from danger… or spiders. 

Harry liked to watch Ron sleeping because it was the only time he could admire him without being caught. The only time he can safely let his mind wander to what it would be like to be there next to him, in sleep and in life.

But then he remembered who was on that sofa the night before and how they had slid off it and crawled themselves in between Harry’s legs, how they had looked at Harry, had touched Harry.

 _Severus_ he thought, trying to make the name seem like something he could one day say.

He got up and went to Ron, shaking him awake. He turned his head and his eyelashes fluttered open. Rolling over and stretching, he smiled. "Hey."

For a minute, Harry was distracted from what he had woke Ron up for, imagining instead what it would be like to see that lazy, relaxed stretch and smile every morning.

"Hey," Harry finally replied. "Why didn’t you wake me when you got here?"

Ron sat up and shrugged. "I just figured we could switch shifts when we were both awake. Seemed silly to wake you up so you could go home and sleep."

"Good idea," Harry said. "Though, if we’re both going to be sleeping here, we should have gotten a three bedroom flat."

Ron smiled. "Well, we can always magic a bigger bed, I mean… it isn’t like we haven’t… you know… shared a room before… many times."

Harry’s heart fluttered heavy in his chest; he calmed it by laughing. "True. But we were children then."

Ron shrugged again and Harry thought he was going to argue a point, but he just smiled. "Fine then, tonight you can have the couch."

***

Ron watched Snape across the table, chess pieces scattered about nursing their wounds. Most of them belonged to Snape, to Ron’s amazement.

"Have you never played this game before?" Ron finally asked.

Snape looked up from the few pieces still in the game for a long time before answering. "It’s been a while. But, don’t worry about me. This is all part of my plan."

Ron picked up one of his well-worn pieces and placed it before Snape’s last pawn. "You have a plan that requires you to lose so badly to someone you feel inferior in every way?"

Snape looked up from the pieces to study Ron. "What makes you think I find you inferior in every way?"

Ron snorted. "Because I’ve met you? Because every word we’ve shared? Because every look down your nose you’ve ever given me?"

Snape didn’t respond for a while and Ron watched amazed as it looked like the man was struggling with what to say. Finally, Snape shrugged. "I’ve had a rough couple of...decades… I _might_ have let that influence my teaching style… perhaps."

Ron swallowed and studied the board instead of Snape. He realized it was the closest thing to an apology he was ever going to get and way more than he’d ever expected. He didn’t know how to react. He just cleared his throat and changed the subject slightly. "So, what is this losing chess strategy of yours?"

Snape attempted to move his pawn around Ron’s piece and was summarily pummeled to rubble. Ron tried not to look too smug as Snape watched him instead of the death of his piece. "Research and reconnaissance. A lot of information can be gathered by observing a man in battle, by watching how he handles adversity and more so for how he deals with victory."

"And what have you learned from me?" Ron asked.

"Many things."

"Such as?" Ron asked when Snape didn’t elaborate.

"If I told you, I’d be given away one of my only advantages. I can tell you that you are a far more gracious winner than I would have thought, way more than I probably would be if I were you."

"Yeah?"

"For someone who excels in so few things, you are not nearly as smug as I’d suppose you’d be when winning."

"Ah, thanks?" Ron said after a few breaths through his teeth. He knew this strategy, those taunts; his brothers had taught him well. He remained calm. 

Since he didn’t rise to Snape’s bait, Snape moved on to another subject after a long pause. "So, you and Hermione?"

Ron instantly crumbled and lashed out with his Knight and attacked Snape’s Queen, a move he instantly regretted as it exposed his own Queen to retribution. He watched Snape as he tried to hide the beginnings of a smirk, and then watched as he feigned not noticing the mistake Ron had made and the easy move he had accidentally set up, and instead moved his Bishop away from Ron’s Queen, taking a Pawn.

"You let your passions lead you and you don’t see the big picture, don’t look beyond the right now."

Ron took a deep breath. "I know I do."

"For many, that is a weakness that would cripple them, but you have so much it winds up protecting you."

"So much what?"

"Passion. You’re brimming with it. Always have been."

Ron looked around the room. _Was he really having this conversation? With this man, in this space?_ How did Professor Severus Snape know that he brimmed with anything?

"It’s what makes you and Harry fit so well together."

"What?" Ron asked, losing his battle strategy again. "Fit together?"

Ron couldn’t keep eye contact with Snape, even though he knew that Snape was studying him, taking notes on every little expression and twitch.

"Make a good team I mean. Harry needs you…" he didn’t go on, even when Ron finally did look up and gave him a quizzical look. "I suppose though, that maybe this abundance of passion might have been you and Hermione’s downfall?"

Ron’s eyes widened and the game was now completely forgotten. "What does that even mean?"

Instead of answering, Snape remained silent and let Ron sort through his thoughts for a moment. Finally, Ron sighed. "Believe me, too much passion was not me and Hermione’s problem." 

"No?" 

Ron didn’t elaborate so Snape pushed. "Not enough? You? Or her?"

Ron shrugged. "Bit of both probably."

"You and Hermione, Harry and Ginny, what ever happened to Happily Ever Afters and All Was Wells?"

"Those are endings, we’re still in the beginnings."

Snape smirked. "Very profound, Mr Weasley."

Ron laughed. "I have my moments."

"And you have your beginnings. You and Harry."

"Me _and_ Harry," Ron said, and not even he knew if he were asking a question or making a statement. 

He looked down at the board and noticed that while he was talking and thinking things he hadn’t allowed himself to before, Snape had slowly and quietly cleared the table of all the pieces but the Kings. There was a knock on the door and Ron sighed, lowered his King in surrender and went to let Hermione in.

"Hey," he said too enthusiastically, trying too hard.

She looked up from the bag she was rifling through when she heard his voice. "Oh, hi. I… I didn’t know…"

"Surprise," Ron said with a chuckle and opened the door wider. 

She walked in. "How are you?" She sounded like she was trying too hard too and Ron sighed.

"I’m… good."

It was awkward and Ron excused himself almost immediately. He wondered if they’d ever get back to anything even remotely like they’d had before they got too far down the wrong path, before they stopped being who they thought they were supposed to be. Ron never wanted to go back to that person, but he wished that Hermione could have come with him on this new path he was trying to wander. The idea of doing it alone was terrifying. Maybe eventually. Until then, without her, he didn’t know where to start. 

"Mr Weasley," Snape called about a half an hour later. "She’s gone. You may come back out if you’d like."

Ron walked out. "I wasn’t hiding from her. I was giving you two privacy to talk over your case."

"Naturally."

Ron looked at him. "It’s true."

Snape shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Ron sighed. "No, I suppose not."

"What happened between you two?"

Ron came to the table where the chess board still sat. "Why do you care?"

Snape sat across the table from him, his legs crossed, his arms crossed at his chest, studying him. Finally, he unfolded his arms and picked a piece of stray lint from his trousers. "I need distractions."

Ron breathed out a sharp bark of laughter. "You must be desperate if you care about me and Hermione and how we fell apart."

Snape smiled weakly. "You have no idea."

"Why don’t we talk about you instead. Tell me, Professor, what do you want to do when you get your life back?"

"You mean, _if_ don’t you?"

"Oh, come on. With Harry defending you, with your own memories collaborating? Not a chance."

"I wish I had your faith in the system, Mr Weasley. Heroes can be tarnished and their words discredited; memories can be altered."

"What have they done to you?"

Snape laughed and Ron sat stunned listening. It sounded like it hurt.

"What will you do with your life?" Ron asked again after Snape quieted.

"I dare not imagine for fear of hopes dashed."

"Seriously, what _did_ they do to you?"

Snape closed his eyes and let the back of his head fall to the back of the chair. He shivered and Ron imagined he was conjuring the feeling of shackles and restraints, hidden but always there, falling away. 

"I can’t remember the last time my life was truly my own." Snape finally answered and all mirth was gone.

"Okay. Forget about the big picture, stop thinking every move out before you take a step. What’s the _first_ thing you’ll do?"

Snape took a deep breath, as if smelling the scent of freedom. "I’d go…"

"Go where?"

"I don’t know. Everywhere. Wherever I want. _Do_ whatever I want." He shivered again. " _Be_ whoever I want."

"Who do you want to be?" Ron sat on the end of his chair, as if he’d forgotten who he was talking to, what their relationship had been just a day or two ago.

Snape studied Ron for a moment and then smiled wide in a way that sent shivers down Ron’s back. He couldn’t say why or what it meant, but he leaned even closer across the table that divided them. 

"I want to be the me who isn’t afraid to feel how I feel, that doesn’t have to hide what it is a desire the most. Who stands up to the fear."

"What fear? What desire?" Ron whispered.

The look Snape shot across the table made Ron gulp and then lick his lips subconsciously. 

"You know the fear, the desire." Snape whispered, matching Ron’s tone and his leaned in pose. "You know it well. Have been repressing it for years now, haven’t you?"

Ron wanted to protest, to jump up and deny any understanding, but instead found himself asking, "I have?"

Now there was no sound in the room but Snape’s voice and Ron heard it in every fiber of him. "That itch you have right under your skin that you just can’t scratch. That hunger in the pit of you that you just can’t satisfy. The fear that you’re never going to be free of it, never going to realize your dream, your...potential."

"How…?" Ron’s skin burned and there was a ringing in his ears.

"Did I know? You and I; we’re not so different. We’re both prisoners. Though only one of us can escape the chains that bind us."

Ron wasn’t sure which one of them he was referring. "How?"

"I’m still working on it," Snape sighed. "But I’ll let you know when I figure it out."

They both heard steps coming up the stairs and the spell was broken. But it wasn’t until Harry opened the door that Ron realized just the effect that Snape and what he had said—and how he had said it— had on him. 

His cock was painfully hard.

He shot up, excusing himself with his back to them as he rushed to the bedroom. He and Harry’s bedroom. He leaned against the door, willing his heart to stop racing and his dick to calm down. Of all the things he thought would never happen to him, having Professor Severus Snape get to him just that way—ever— was high on the list. 

He heard Harry’s voice, indistinct and low and the pain that had been centralized in Ron’s groin spread through him. His skin sizzled and he scratched at it, trying to get the itch he felt there soothed. He groaned and pounded his head against the door, hoping for a raging headache, anything to distract him from the itch, the thirst and the absolute _need_ emanating from the next room.

"Ron? Is everything okay?" Harry called.

Ron shook his head, but after a moment called out, "Yeah, sorry, just tripped. Be out in a minute."

He took a deep breath. Then another one. Finally, he was calmed and his head was clear. He no longer had the urge to open the door and change everything. Instead he took his immediate leave, telling Harry he’d be back in eight hours to relieve him.

"You don’t want to stay for dinner?" Harry asked. "I brought plenty."

"No, I got to… get some stuff done. I’ll see you in eight hours, okay?"

"You can just come in the morning if you’d like," Harry said.

"Okay," Ron responded hastily. 

Snape had the smuggest smile on his face as he called out. "See you in the morning Mr Weasley."

"Mm-hmm," Ron mumbled to the door as he opened it and walked out.

***

"What did you do to him?" Harry asked as he pulled out the takeaway tins from their bag.

"What ever do you mean?" 

"I’ve never seen him turn down food before."

Snape picked up a random chess piece and smiled. "Well, I beat him at chess, perhaps that ruined his appetite. Maybe he had somewhere he just had to be."

"You didn’t… didn’t tell him… anything we, uh, talked about last night?"

"Does he not know you’re gay?" Severus asked.

"He knows. He’s one of the only few who do."

"You want to keep it a secret?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really, I just… well, I’ve always known, but I tried to… I don’t know… ignore it. The only people I’ve ever talked to about it was Ron and Remus Lupin."

"Remus?" Severus asked. His tone was odd; not the contempt that Harry was used to hearing from him about Remus.

"I was really struggling with a lot of things the year he came to teach. He was the first adult who listened and talked to me, and could trust him, plus…"

"What?"

Harry shrugged. "I just sensed that he would understand exactly what I was going through, that he was gay too."

"You did?"

"I thought so, but maybe not? I mean he and Tonks…"

"Maybe she was his Ginny. Or maybe he went both ways."

Harry’s jaw dropped. He’d never thought about that.

 

After they finished dinner, Harry cleared the table and Snape poured the wine before asking, "Have you though more on my offer, Mr Potter?" 

Snape had sat down on the sofa and Harry leaned against the entranceway from the kitchen to the sitting room. "You know, if you’re going to ask me to call you—" Harry swallowed and then spat out—hoping it didn’t sound like he’d been practicing the whole time they’d been apart— "Severus, then you’re going to have to call me—"

"Harry," Snape said, the words sliding from his lips halfway between a prayer and a curse. "The Chosen One."

Harry gulped. He had thought—hoped—it would be as unnatural for his old Potions Master as it was for him. He fleetingly wondered if Snape had practiced in front of a mirror as much as Harry had. He’d felt the fool the whole time, of course; a hungry, anxious and extremely curious fool.

"Feel better, Harry?" Snape asked, patting the seat next to him.

Harry nodded and forced himself to calmly walk across the room and sit next to… Severus.

_Severus._

It wasn’t like he was completely inexperienced. He’d done things with Ginny that were pretty easily translated, he’d had one faceless fumble in a dark backroom of a Muggle nightclub. This wasn’t like the first time he’d walked into Snape’s dungeon classroom with no knowledge. Though, he was just as thirsty as he was that day to be taught, educated. He just wasn’t going to tolerate the way the man had made him feel back then. He was an equal now. 

Sort of.

"What would you like to learn first?" Severus asked.

Harry was about to blurt out, _Everything_ , but stopped himself just in time. "What do _you_ want?"

Severus’ smile was slow and wicked. He ran his tongue along his lower lip and Harry was mesmerized by the glisten left behind. "Excellent answer, Mr Potter."

"Who?" Harry asked, licking his own lips.

"Harry." Severus corrected, sliding closer.

"What do you want?" Harry asked again in a whisper.

Severus reached over and ran his fingers up Harry’s neck and under his chin. Harry swallowed against his knuckles. "I want to taste." He leaned forward. "May I?"

"Please," Harry whimpered.

Severus ran his tongue’s tip along Harry’s lip. Harry’s tongue flicked out to meet it, invite it in. Severus’ hand moved from Harry’s chin to the back of his neck, running his fingers through the hair at his nape. As Severus explored Harry’s mouth, swirling his tongue around Harry’s, he ran his hand from Harry’s knee, to his groin.

Harry squirmed, his cock hardening against his pants with just the slightest caress. "Severus," he breathed as Severus broke the kiss.

Severus got down on his knees in front of Harry, working the buttons of Harry's trousers. Harry, part terrified and equal part needy, dug his fingers into the sofa and pushed himself up so Severus could more easily pull his clothes down and off.

Severus' hand hovered over Harry's cock as he looked up.

"May I?" he asked.

Harry wasn't sure if he was more disarmed by the question or the look on Severus' face. His eyes glittered, his expression hopeful without a trace of a smirk or loathing of any sort.

"Please."

Severus' long fingers flitted gently around Harry's groin, as if having a hard time of where to go first, what to touch, to feel.

Harry gasped when Severus finally stroked his cock, curved his fingers around it, rubbed his thumb along the slit. It ached. He wanted more.

"Please, Severus."

This time, the look on Severus' face when he looked at Harry was wicked. "Have you ever—"

"Once. It was… okay."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Just okay?"

Harry shrugged. "Like you said, wrong Weasley."

"Ah, well this time, instead of trying and failing to block the _right_ Weasley from your mind, I want you to imagine that I am him."

"What?"

"Close your eyes if you need to. I'd offer to do a Disillusionment charm, but I've been stripped of my magic while I stand trial."

"Why do you want me to picture him?"

"Why wouldn't you? You want him. You got me. For us that can't have who we want, we find ways to live with what we have."

Now the pitying look was on Harry's face. "That is perhaps the saddest thing I've ever heard."

Severus shrugged. "It is what it is. But it's only for the right now. There's no reason you can't have what you want, given enough confidence, and if—"

"Ron became magically gay?" Harry blurted out. It was the first time he'd spoken his secret and most desperate wish aloud.

"Stranger things have happened."

Harry looked down to where Severus was still in between his legs—though he had leaned back on his hunches while they spoke. "You are not kidding about that," Harry agreed.

They studied each other for a long moment. "So, are we going to do this?" Severus asked, looking down at Harry's cock, which seemed to have lost a bit of its rigidity. "Or have I ruined my chances with all that talking?"

Harry laughed. "I'm a 19-year-old male who hasn't had anyone touching him in a really long time; you really think it's going to take that long to get me aroused again?"

"Ah, youth. I do miss it so."

Harry reached down and hooked his finger under Severus' chin, pulling towards him. He took a deep breath and let it out before he tentatively brought his lips to Severus'. For a moment, Harry tried to do what the other man had suggested and he closed his eyes; tried to imagine that it was Ron he was kissing.

It didn't work. Not just because it was wrong, all wrong. He'd imagined kissing Ron _a lot_ , like nonstop, a lot, and he imagined those full lips against his, that large, rounded nose rubbing against his and this wasn't it. Severus' lips were thin and slightly chapped, his nose long and pointed. But, mostly it wasn't his imagination that was failing him, it was that he could not get his mind's screaming to quiet and all it was screaming was _Holy shit! You are kissing Professor Severus Fuckin’ Snape! How? Why? Will life ever be the same again?!?_

Then Severus touched him again, wrapped his fingers around his cock again, and all thoughts flew out of Harry's head. There was no right and wrong, no hesitation, no reconsiderations. All there was an urgent need that started in the pit of his stomach and spread throughout his body, pinpointing at his groin.

He'd never been that hard, never so very sensitive to every touch, every stroke, even the air in the room falling and swirling around him seemed to sizzle on his skin. Severus worked his mouth down his body and Harry threw his head back, eyes closed tight, his hands in fists, desperate to wrap around Severus and push him down to his pulsing and needy cock.

"Look at me," Severus purred from Harry's sternum.

Harry did as he was told. He almost came undone by the shine of Snape's eyes alone. No one had ever looked at him like that, and certainly not from that angle. Not even Ginny.

"Could you…" Severus started and hesitated. "Uh… perform a cleansing spell?"

"What?" That was the last thing he'd expected to come out of Severus' mouth. "It's clean!"

Severus smiled wickedly. " _It's_ not the only thing I'm dying to taste."

Harry looked at him confused for a moment, but then the shocked realization washed over him. "Oh!"

He looked frantically for his wand. Severus scowled up at him. "Really Harry? Still?"

"Oh, right," Harry blushed and then closed his eyes, took a breath and called out the incantation wandlessly.

This time the look of Severus' that almost did him in was unabashed pride. "Well done, Mr Potter."

Harry beamed down at him. He was going to scold him for calling him Mr Potter, but he didn’t; he kind of liked hearing Severus call him that from where he was at present.

Severus began working his tongue, teeth and mouth down Harry's body, nuzzling his cock with his nose as he teased his tongue against the skin below his shaft. His hands pushed gently against Harry's thighs, pushing them away as he took Harry's balls hungrily into his mouth, swirling his tongue against them.

"Oh, sweet baby Jesus, yes!" Harry murmured.

Snape laughed and Harry felt it against his scrotum, causing him to lose the war with his hands that dug their digits into Severus' hair.

He had thought Snape would be offended by this, but quite the opposite; it seemed to spur him on to continue his exploration more vigorously. With one last slurp and suck, he released Harry's testicles and moved down and around to Harry's hole.

He tried not to clinch up, but he couldn’t help it. He’d never even imagined what it would feel like to have someone there, pushing against the pucker with their tongue… or anything else. Not really. He’d imagined a lot of other things, but not this, not this fear mixed with pleasure and the sensation that he was falling and flying at the same time.

Then it stopped and Harry froze wondering what he had done to make it stop.

"We need lubricant," Severus whispered.

This time, Harry didn’t need to be reminded that he was a well-trained wizard; he didn’t even need to do more than think of the thing he required and it appeared, whether by conjure or transformation he didn’t know. He didn’t care.

When he looked at Severus though, a little bit of his mind returned to him so that he registered the look of wistful sadness, fleeting though it was. "What’s wrong?"

"I just… loathe not being able… not having…"

"You will. Soon. I promise."

"Don’t make promises that aren’t in your authority to keep."

"Alright. Then I promise this; I won’t stop until I’ve done everything I can to assure your freedom and your abilities restored."

Severus studied him and it looked to Harry like he was going to say something but was struggling with the words—which was an unsettling look from this man. So, Harry, in a way to get them back to the place they were a moment ago, fell off the couch, wrapped his arms around Severus and said, "And until then, I’ll be magical enough for both of us."

With a "pop" they were now in Severus’ bedroom with a bed transfigured larger and the lube still in Harry’s hand. 

"Well, I guess it’s a good thing you were so well trained."

And just like that, Severus was back from his melancholy place and was arranging himself between Harry’s legs. And just like that, Harry’s cock responded by once again getting hard. "Ah, youth," Severus repeated.

He took the lube from Harry and slicked his fingers. Harry bit his lower lip and pulled his knees to his chest, preparing himself.

"The difference between what you’ve done before with Ginny and what we’re going to be doing," Severus began in a tone so familiar to Harry he could practically feel the bubbling cauldron of the classroom in front of him. "Is that you need to sort what you like and don’t like and find someone who correlates. With women, you know, for the most part, what position you play, what your role is."

"Severus, please," Harry panted. His legs were beginning to cramp.

"Patience, Mr Potter."

"Harry."

Severus smirked. "Very well, Harry. If we do anything together that you don’t like, please let me know."

Harry nodded vigorously as he watched Severus move slicked-fingers to his hole. "What do you like?"

"Me?" Severus asked, like he’d never been asked that question before.

"Yes, you. Do you like to give or receive?" 

Severus thought about it as he brought his fingers to Harry’s arse. "I honestly can’t remember. I do know what I’m liking so far."

"Yeah?"

"Not doing any of this alone, to myself."

Harry laughed, but stopped immediately when Severus’ finger delicately breached the pucker of his anus. The shock wore off to the pain of it before it became something else that he couldn’t quite place, had never felt before. He instantly wanted more. His gasp became a moan to mirror his descent. 

Severus watched Harry’s reaction before sliding further in. "You like that?"

"Mmm-hmmm," Harry murmured. 

"Would you like more?"

"Yes sir."

Severus smirked. "Who?"

"Severus," Harry hissed.

"Never going to get tired of hearing you say that." Severus added his middle finger, long and deep. Again, Harry gasped and then moaned. "Severusssss…"

Severus crossed his fingers, stretching against Harry who writhed against the pain of it, balling the bedcovers in tight fists. 

"Shhh," Severus soothed and slid his fingers out. Harry’s eyes shot open. He hadn’t realized he’d clenched them shut. 

"Why?" Harry whined.

"You like that?"

Harry nodded vigorously, unable to form the words to articulate just how much.

"You look like you’re about ready to burst," Severus said, running his fingers lightly along Harry’s shaft. It wasn’t until that moment that Harry realized just how every single shift of the air around them was sitting his skin aflame. He could swear he felt the mist from the Thames kilometers away settle on the hairs of his chest and arms.

"Let’s see which you like more," Severus whispered as he slathered Harry’s cock with more of the lubrication. That alone almost sent Harry over the edge, but he clenched his hands into the sheets again, and by force of will, kept his orgasm at bay.

Severus, in one fluid motion, mounted Harry and slid down Harry’s shaft. For the first time since they began, Harry heard Severus’ need. It started as a low moan, but as he rose, and then back down, pivoting on Harry’s pelvis, rotating against Harry’s length, it grew in volume and strength. Moans became chants, syllables were joined by vowels and Harry watched as Severus fell apart above him, the view foreign and mesmerizing. So much so, they distracted him from his own body’s reactions. He clutched his fingers into Severus’ hips to ground him, to still the sensation that Severus was going to, at any moment, float away, bounce off him and just vanish. That it was all some dream, some hallucination.

It was all so surreal.

"Do…you…like…this…?" Severus asked as he rose and fell on Harry’s dick.  
He did, of course he did. But not as much as… as the other thing earlier… not as much as Severus obviously was enjoying it. He’d never seen Severus this blissed; of course he hadn’t. He’d honestly never seen _anyone_ as blissed before in his entire life. Truthfully, though his cock was responding to the friction of Severus’ tight arse, and about ready to come to climax; he was enjoying Severus’ response even more, how much pleasure being fucked gave him, how out of his rational mind he had become.

Harry grasped Severus’ cock in his hand— just to know, just to feel—and with one tug, Severus threw his head back and began howling, his come squirting all over Harry’s hand and chest. As Severus continued to howl like a wolf at full moon, he slammed himself down hard on Harry’s cock. Any other thought in Harry’s mind was instantly void as he came with a stutter and gasp.  
When he could again focus, he watched Severus slide off him and sprawl beside him. Harry turned to face him. "How long has it been since you’ve… been with someone?"

Severus must have been still euphoric because he smiled wide and laughed. "Was it that obvious?"

"I’ve never made anyone howl before."

"What?" Severus asked, no longer smiling.

"You howled. Like you were a werewolf at full..." Harry stopped. It was a stone dropped and a puzzle piece long lost falling into place. If Harry didn’t know in his gut that he was right, he’d have known by the look suddenly on Severus’ face, like he’d just been Occulued, like his darkest secret had been pulled from the back of his mind and exposed. "No! Really?"

"What are you on about?"

"You and Remus?"

"Are you mad?" Severus asked, a little too loudly, a little too urgently. "Because I howl when… when I—" 

"When you experience the first moment of unrestrained joy. I saw it on your face and I heard it in your outburst and I… I felt it… in a glimpse."

"A glimpse?"

"Like a flash, a moment where I wasn’t overly self-involved and could… I don’t know… _feel_ something emanating from you…"

Severus sighed. "And this something was in the shape and size of Remus Lupin?"

Harry smiled. "It was a bit fuzzy, but your vehement denial sharpened it a bit. You don’t know how obvious you are, do you?"

"I’m not sure I like your cheek Mr Potter."

Harry laughed. "What else is new?"

There was a long silence, then Harry asked, "So, you and Remus? Did you two…?"

"I don’t want to talk about Remus and I. Forget about where my mind was, where was yours? Were you thinking of Mr Weasley?"

Harry was shocked to realize that he hadn’t. "No."

"Why not?"

Harry shrugged. "Maybe I hid this fact too well, but… well… a lot of what we did just now was things I… well… things I’ve never done before. All my mind was at those sensations, and yes, what little thought I had left was used up by just who was doing those things and how completely fuckin’ out of the realm of possibility that seemed less than a week ago."

"So, you were preoccupied?"

Harry smiled wide. "I was, a bit."

"You know what this means don’t you?"

"That we’ll have to have another lesson?"

Now it was Severus who smiled slow and wide. "We will indeed."

"It’s a good thing that you’re such a thorough instructor."

"Well, Mr Potter, did you learn anything?"

"I did. I learned that I am truly, very much gay. I also learned that I really like that thing you did with your fingers… and your… your ah… tongue. Really liked, like a lot."

"Ah, I thought you might."

"You like that part the best too, don’t you?" Harry asked.

"Aye, I do."

"I guess that means we’re not compatible?"

Severus sighed dramatically. "No, probably not in the long run. I guess it’s a good thing that we’re not really working towards that, are we?"

"I guess not. But, in the short run?"

"We’ll compromise. Or, I will."

"You will? _You_ will?" 

Severus smirked. "Despite what you might think, I do take my position as a teacher very seriously."

Harry laughed so hard and so long that Severus finally reached over and pushed him out of bed.

Harry stood up, still laughing. "Nice bedside manner, Professor."

"Get out," Severus said, smiling himself, but he threw a pillow at Harry to punctuate his demand.

"Goodnight, sir. Sleep well."

***

Ron stood outside the door of the safe house and took a deep breath. He’d spent the previous night trying to convince himself that whatever Snape had said the day before had been coincidentally related at best. It had been way off base and no way relevant to his life or his most secret thoughts and feelings. Not at all. It was just the combination of seeing Hermione and be toyed with by someone who obviously hadn’t had anyone to poke with a stick for a very long time.

Snape knew nothing about him. He had not opened himself up to the man and they were _nothing_ alike.

He pushed the door open and sighed. The room was deserted. Everyone was apparently still asleep. Ron wondered what Harry and Snape talked about in their time together. He wondered if it affected Harry like it had him. He shook himself free of that thought and instead went about preparing breakfast, making tea, toast, scrambling eggs and setting the table. 

There was a rustling coming from Harry’s room and then Ron heard his name whispered urgently. His heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t the first time Harry had uttered his name in his sleep— he did it quite often. It also wasn’t the first time Ron’s heart reacted to it. When it first happened, they were so young and Harry was so new to having friends, family and his life was always in danger and so when he called out Ron’s name, Ron’s heart broke because it meant he was having some sort of nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from and the dream-Harry needed him, and the real-Ron couldn’t help. 

As they grew up though, the frequency and tone of his name being uttered changed and so did the way it resonated in Ron himself. Sometimes it was said in the same fearful way it had when they were children, but there were other times where there was a yearning, a need nothing to do with danger or fear. When Harry moaned his name like that, Ron’s heart fluttered, then beat out of his chest so that he’s uncertain if he’d really heard it that way or had just tried to shape the tone to his own confused and ill-defined desire. 

That morning the infliction was both fearful and needy. And in addition to his heart’s reaction, there was an itch under his skin that also felt inflamed.

He went to their room. Harry was struggling against the sheets that he’d wrapped himself in and were currently trying to choke him. 

"Harry! Harry!" He went to him and tried to stop him from flailing. He grabbed Harry’s wrists, but he still kicked and pulled. Ron struggled to keep his grip. Harry was stronger in sleep than awake, and he had become very strong in the year since the end of the war.

So though, had Ron. Still holding tight to Harry’s wrists, he straddled Harry, sitting on his thighs so his legs were trapped. Harry opened his eyes wide, but Ron could tell that he still wasn’t seeing, wasn’t yet awake. 

"Har—" Ron started, but he was not prepared for Harry’s next move and how quick he was in executing it. He just knew when it was over, that he had been flung like he was nothing and now Harry straddled him. In the struggle, Harry’s coverings had fallen away and Ron realized that Harry was naked. He didn’t have time to contemplate that because Harry reached his hand out and caught the wand he had wordlessly summoned and held it to Ron’s throat.

"HARRY!" Ron screamed.

Finally, Harry’s eyes register and instantly he woke. "Ron?"

"You were dreaming Harry."

Harry scanned the room frantically. "How do I know I’m not still dreaming?"

Ron laughed and that seemed to still Harry’s anxiety. "I don’t know," Ron began, "Do you often dream of me in this position?"

Time stood still. Ron felt as if anything could happen. They could stay in this room for a thousand years, Harry on top of him, looking at him in a way that Ron couldn’t quite read, like he too was wondering what happened next, how long they could ignore the world outside, how easy it would be to take that one extra step, those last few inches…

"Is everything alright in there?" Snape called out, and the spell was broken. 

Harry jumped up and grabbed the sheet to wrap around his middle. Ron threw his head back onto the mattress, licking his lips, tasting the wasted moment before calling out, "Everything’s fine, Harry was just having a nightmare."

"Is he okay?" 

Ron watched Harry scrounge for his clothes and smiled, putting his hands behind his head. "Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry turned to glare at him, but he couldn’t sustain it. He pulled his trousers up and threw the crumpled sheet at Ron. "I’m fine."

Ron stayed there as Harry got on his shirt. He couldn’t get the smile off his face. This could be his life, couldn’t it? All of it, the tumble in the bed—maybe with both naked sometimes—the banter, the watching Harry get dressed. Sometimes, at moments like this, it just seemed so easy. 

"What?" Harry said after he’d put his shirt on and Ron still hadn’t moved.

"What? Oh, nothing." He got up. "Breakfast is almost ready."

"Wait, wait, wait," Harry stood in front of him. "Want to hear the weirdest thing I discovered about Severus?"

"Severus?"

Harry blushed. "It’s something I’m trying."

"And _that’s_ not the weirdest thing about Severus?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but when they focused on Ron again, they were dancing with a secret. "He and Remus Lupin…"

"Hated each other?"

"No, the opposite."

"I… uh… what? The _opposite_ of hate? Them? I don’t…How? When?"

Harry shrugged. "I didn’t get the details."

"How did you get _anything_? I didn’t even know he was gay and you got that he had a thing with Remus Lupin. _Our_ Remus Lupin? Did you get him drunk or something?"

Harry smiled oddly but only said, "Well, he might not have been in his right mind."

Ron’s jaw dropped. "Harry James Potter, did you get our old Potions’ Master Severus Snape drunk and take advantage of him?"

"What? No!"

Ron was going to ask for clarification, but again, Snape’s voice interrupted. "Mr Weasley, I’m not sure what these charcoaled discs were supposed to be, but I’m pretty sure they’re no longer toast."

"Damn!" Ron said, rushing towards the door.

"Wait!" Harry stopped him again. "Please, don’t say anything."

He stopped at the door. "How dumb do you think I am? I like my bollocks where they are, thank you very much, I don’t need them hexed off."

"Good morning," Ron called out to Snape as he met him in the kitchen.

"And to you, Mr Weasley. Ah, there you are, Harry, sorry you had bad dreams last night."

Ron stood behind Snape and mouthed over his shoulder, " _Harry_?"

Harry blushed. "I don’t even remember it. As far as I remember, I slept well."

"Why don’t you two sit down and I’ll finish making breakfast… or start over, making breakfast."

"Thank you, Mr Weasley," Snape said as Ron poured the tea.

"Call me Ron, Severus," Ron said, patting his back as he walked away.

Harry choked on his tea, but Severus smiled. "Thank you... Ron."

He went back to the stove but once again, he couldn’t get the smile off his face. This was nice, this sharing a meal, laughing about Ron’s failed attempts at cuisine. This could be a nice life.

Severus told them what he and Hermione had talked about the day before regarding his case. She had been full of vigor and optimism and he had found it only slightly irritating. 

"She’ll wear you down," Harry said, laughing.

"She does have a way of making you believe the best of yourself," Ron agreed, and the smile was gone.

"And you don’t find that annoying?" Severus asked.

Ron barked out a laugh and Harry sighed. "Extremely."

It was almost noon before Harry left the flat and Ron began his shift. 

"Would you care for a rematch, Professor?" Ron asked, summoning the chess board.

"Did we even finish the game from yesterday?" Severus asked.

"Don’t pretend that you don’t remember that you creamed me there in the end."

"Ah yes, I distracted you to take the lead, then you forfeited."

"Something like that," Ron said.

"Maybe we could make it interesting this time? Maybe you could distract me instead."

"How could I distract you?"

"Ever played Strip Chess?"

"What?"

"You lose a piece; you lose a piece of clothing."

Ron swallowed. "And that will distract you?"

"You might imagine that the viewing of the male form—in the flesh, if you will—has been pretty fleeting in the past, ah, few years. I’ve missed it. And from what I can tell, you’ll do nicely."

Ron swallowed. "Um, thanks?"

"So, is it a wager?"

"Both of us will be getting starkers?"

"What enjoyment could you possibly get from seeing me without clothes?"

Ron blushed but couldn’t answer the question. "Fine. You have to take a shot of whiskey for every piece of yours I capture."

Severus smiled wickedly. "Drinks and a show? How have I gotten so lucky?"

Ron hadn’t thought of it that way and was second guessing his suggestion. Then he remembered their conversation the day before and what Harry had told him today; how Harry had gotten him drunk to hear all his secrets. Maybe Severus would share with him too, maybe he’d tell him how he lived for so long with so many secrets.

The first piece to fall belonged to Ron. He sacrificed it and his shirt to see how the victory and its reward would affect Severus. He, however, wasn’t prepared for how it would affect him. Severus’ eyes on him, his tongue running along his lower lip, the way he raised a glass and drank greedily. He had done that. He had made Severus feel that. Few things made him feel better, more powerful.

It was very distracting.

He needed the upper hand. "How come you hid your being gay for your whole life and are now shouting it from the rooftops?"

"I’m shouting it from the rooftops?"

"Well, not that, but you’re not hiding it anymore. You’re encouraging me to get naked, you and Harry clearly have some sort of flirtation going on."

"Excuse me?" Severus said, coughing into his glass.

"It’s subtle. I’ve spent my whole life attune to Harry’s thoughts and feelings, I pick up on things."

Severus gave Ron his dangerous smile. In the classroom, it meant he was about to give a scathing and very public dressing down on Ron’s ineptitude. "You _pick up_ on things?"

Ron didn’t answer. He felt he was being set up for something. Instead, he moved his piece and said, "You didn’t answer the question though; why did you hide it all these years and why not now."

There was a long silence while Severus poured another shot of whiskey in preparation for losing his Rook. "I should be dead. Really, like I saw the light and the tunnel and all that mumbo-jumbo, and yet, here I am. And my duties are done. I’ve paid for my sins and bad judgments and now I get to actually live, beholden to no one."

He took the shot. "And, as to why I keep it a secret all these years," he shrugged. "It’s what we do, isn’t it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why do you keep it a secret?"

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the words to argue, but he couldn’t hear his own thoughts from the pounding of his heart. Finally, he took a deep breath and shrugged, conceding. It was the most freeing he’d ever felt. Severus sat and waited, sipping from his glass.

"When Harry told me in our third year that he was gay, he said that he’s always been, that he’s always known. It was like he always knew there was some magic in him before he found out he was a wizard, he was just always aware.

"It didn’t happen for me like that. I wasn’t aware of it until I had a try with girls, until I fell in love with a girl who stimulated my mind and soul and…"

"Did nothing for your body?"

"Yeah, that. I tried so hard, but…" he shrugged again.

"Why haven’t you told Harry?"

"I haven’t told anyone but Hermione."

"You told her, or she told you?"

Ron laughed, then watched Severus move his Queen to destroy Ron’s Knight. He hoped Severus wouldn’t remember the wager, but when he looked up to Severus watching him with a raised eyebrow, he sighed and took off his shoes.

"But Harry?"

Ron took a deep breath before he answered. "I’ve followed Harry to the Chamber of Secrets, the Ministry of Magic and to Quidditch; I’ve followed him to the forest of Dean, to war and finally to the Ministry as an Auror. I can’t let this be one more thing I’m doing because Harry did it first. I need to know that I didn’t do it for him."

"For him?"

Ron smiled. "Like I said, I’ve spent my life attuned to Harry’s thoughts and feelings."

Severus was lifting his glass to his lips but stopped. "So, you know how he feels about you?"

"I don’t know the depth and breadth of it, but yeah, I know."

"And you don’t feel the same?"

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "No! I mean…" he bowed his head. "Yes, I…"

"Then why don’t you tell him? Why don’t you take that last step?"

"It’s hard to explain."

"Try."

Ron studied him. "Why do you care?"

Severus waved his hand. "I’m bored."

Ron laughed. "You must be. We’re really not that interesting."

"I’ve had my share of interesting." Severus moved his Knight to Ron’s Bishop.

Ron groaned and stood up, unbuttoning his jeans. Severus seemed to forget what they were talking about as his eyes followed the denim sliding down his thighs, over his knees and getting stuck on his calves. Ron was overcome with that feeling of power again. Being watched like that was exhilarating.

But distracting too. He couldn’t afford to lose anymore pieces.

Or could he?

He sat down, threw his head back, licking his lips, his legs spread out, giving Severus a show. He couldn’t see Severus’ eyes on him, but he could feel them, the heat of them boring in under his skin; could hear the gasp of air that sounded so hungry, it echoed down to his bones.

He tilted his head and saw the bottle of whiskey, almost gone, saw his clothes, all but his pants, strewn and saw that even though Severus had distracted him enough to get him almost naked, he also left himself vulnerable. Ron flicked his wand lazily towards the board and smiled wickedly when Severus’ Queen lost her crown to his Queen.

Severus didn’t take his eyes off Ron when he tossed his glass aside and lifted the bottle to his lips instead. Ron watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed with his swallow and wondered what it would feel like to have his mouth there at that moment.

He licked his lips again and took a deep breath, preparing himself for a potentially disastrous subject.

"So, you and Remus?"

Severus slammed the bottle down on the table, knocking the chess pieces that were tending their wounds to the floor.

"Harry Potter’s got a big fuckin’ mouth."

"We have no secrets."

Severus barked out a vicious laugh.

Ron scowled at him. "Okay, _he_ has no secrets from me."

"That hardly seems fair."

Ron shrugged. "But, we’re not talking about me, we were talking about you and Remus."

"Were we? And was I giving any indication that was a subject I was keen to discuss?"

"Did I give any indication that I cared? You got under my skin, it seems only fair I do the same to you."

"You think you can?"

Ron pushed the table between them out of the way and reached for Severus’ bottle. He fought against the grimace the burn of the alcohol caused. He handed the bottle back to Severus, sitting up and leaning in. "I’d like to try."

Severus raised the bottle, licking the drops from the rim before taking a long swallow. Ron swallowed too. Severus leaned forward to match Ron’s position, sliding the bottle from Ron’s knee to his crotch. "Or, we could try to get under each other’s skin simultaneously." 

The look Severus gave Ron was primal and bordered on dangerous, until he saw the one Ron was giving him. Ron could see the tiny bit of shock, like he’d been outwitted and that was a new and frightening experience. That power again raged inside him and he didn’t give Severus time to overcome his anxiousness; he came at Severus, pushing him against the back of the chair and claiming Severus’ mouth with his tongue and his teeth. His hands wrapped around Severus’ neck, his fingers tugging at his hair. 

Severus wrapped his arms around Ron’s back, pulling him closer.

Finally, Ron ended the kiss with a growl.

Severus gasped, his chest heaving. "You need to know that it’s not just Harry—"

Ron shut him up with another kiss, this time his hands pulling at Severus’ clothes. 

"You and Remus saw in each other what no one else saw."

"Shut up," Severus spat.

"You loved him and he loved you."

"We hated each other as much as we loved."

Ron tried to hide his smug smile. He was totally winning. "And what did you love about him the most?"

Severus helped Ron with the buttons of his shirt. "The same thing that makes me barely tolerate you."

"Yeah? What’s that?"

He sat up, pulling off his shirt, and then took Ron’s face in his hands. "Passion."

Ron stood up and pulled Severus to his feet. "I want to fuck you now, what do I need?"

Working off his trousers, Severus laughed. "Lube and my permission."

Running his fingers up Severus’ arms, he put on his biggest puppy dog face. "May I fuck you now? Please?"

Severus sighed dramatically. "I guess that will be acceptable."

"And do you have any lube?"

"In my room."

"In your room?"

"Yeah."

"Where it’s been used before?"

"Yeah?"

"With Harry?"

Severus watched him for a moment before he shrugged. "I told you; I plan on living every moment."

Ron didn’t know what he was more stunned by, Severus’ honesty or the fact that he and Harry had actually fucked. Then he remembered where he was and what he was about to do.

"Ready?" Severus asked, taking a step towards his room.

"Absolutely."

Ron followed Severus into his room and when Severus went to a drawer to retrieve the lube, he stood there and felt foolish and timid, which wasn’t the feeling he was going for. Severus sat down at the edge of the bed and reached his hand for Ron, pulling him to stand before him.

"Relax, okay?" Severus whispered. "It’s okay to not know what you’re doing."

Ron nodded as Severus put his hands on Ron’s hips and began pulling Ron’s pants off. He whistled through his teeth and Ron blushed.

Taking Ron’s hand again, Severus slid further onto the bed and Ron climbed on. They continued kissing, Ron pushing Severus to lay flat on the bed and straddling him. He could feel Severus cock against his and grinded against it before kissing his way down his neck and chest, stopping at Severus’ waistband. Pulling Severus’ pants down he reached for the lube. 

"May I?" Severus asked.

He handed the lube to Severus and spread his hands, presenting himself. Severus slicked his fingers and then rubbed them along Ron’s shaft, tugging slightly.

"Careful, Professor, too much attention and this might be done before it starts." 

Severus smiled. "We can’t have that." He let go of Ron’s cock. "How would you like me, Mr Weasley?"

Ron grabbed Severus’ knees and flipped him over onto his stomach. He got on his knees, looking over his shoulder invitingly.

Ron took a deep breath. "Simply as that? I don’t need to…"

"You _can_ do whatever you want, you don’t _need_ to though. Not this time."

"This time?"

"This time. This time I wouldn’t mind just having you inside me, hard and fast."

"Well then, this is your lucky day. Hard and fast is my specialty."

"My lucky day," Severus said over his shoulder, watching Ron position himself at his hole.

Ron prepared himself to do what he was told, but as he slid in, he was overwhelmed by the tightness and the way it felt along his shaft. Severus gasped and swore under his breath. Ron dug his fingers into Severus’ hips and buried himself deep into Severus before pulling out. He bit his lip hard and with Severus’ hips urging, pumped hard and fast. It was exhilarating and he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else...ever.

"Touch me," Severus gasped out between thrusts. There was a pool of sweat along his spine and Ron ran his hand along it before snaking it around Severus and grasping his cock. He increased his speed as he began stroking, losing all control of rhythm as he rode them both to their climax, almost simultaneously. Ron gasped and cried out, Severus howled loud and fierce.

With a ridiculous grin on his face, Ron slid out of Severus and collapsed beside him. Severus turned to face him and Ron touched his damp brow with his own. "Brilliant," Severus sighed.

" _Bloody_ brilliant," Ron agreed.

They slept for a few hours before Ron woke to the front door being opened. He quick and quiet got up, pulled his pants back on, and snuck out of the room, grabbing his wand just in case.

The hallway was dark, but someone was definitely in the flat. "Lumos!" he exclaimed.

The lights shot on and Harry pivoted around, facing Ron with his wand raised too.

Ron laughed and lowered his wand, but Harry stood jaw dropped at Ron’s almost complete nakedness, his raised wand completely forgotten.

"What’s going on?" Harry asked.

Ron contemplated for a bit just what he should say, how much he could tell Harry in this hallway at this hour. "I’ll explain everything tomorrow, I promise, but for right now, want to join me in freaking Severus out?"

Harry looked like he had a million questions, but broke out in a smile instead of voicing any of them. "Definitely."

They tip-toed to Severus’ room where he was still laying naked on top of the covers. Again, Harry looked like he had a million questions and was having a harder time not asking them. 

Ron motioned for Harry to get on the other side of the bed. "Take off your clothes," he ordered sliding beside Severus again. 

"Ronald Weasley, did you get our Professor drunk and take advantage of him?"

Ron nodded.

Now the questions wouldn’t stop coming out in a sputtered whisper. "But… I didn’t… why didn’t you…"

"Tell you I was gay?"

Harry nodded.

Ron shrugged. "I wanted to be sure."

Harry opened his mouth to say something else, but Severus stirred in his sleep so he stopped. When Severus didn’t wake up, Harry slid into the bed on the other side of Severus.

"This is going to be fun," Ron whispered over Severus to Harry.

***

Severus woke with a jolt and squinted against the sun pouring in through the window. His head was aching and he felt a little like he was suffocating. _Just how much did you drink?_

He looked to his right and saw Ron, curled under Severus’ armpit, drooling slightly. But he also felt something on his left side. He turned and saw the unmistakable tuft of hair and lighting shaped scar. His hand was across Severus’ stomach and resting on Ron’s hip. _No, seriously, how much did you drink?!_

Again, he looked from Harry to Ron. His head was still throbbing and he remembered that he had drunk a fair bit while flirting with Ron over a chess set. He also remembered when they had stopped playing, when Ron kissed him, when Ron came into his room and fucked him. He just could _not_ remember anything after that.

 _What a shame,_ he thought with a sigh. With Harry, it had been like the gentler days with Remus. The days when the full moon was a long way away, when there was nowhere to be and no contrary friendships and missions waiting for them. Ron had been the hungry, clandestine and desperate with a full moon approaching and nowhere safe to go. Individually, they were everything he'd had and lost, he couldn't even imagine what they could be together.

He silently and slowly slid himself down and off the bed, watching to see if they'd unconsciously fill the empty space between them.

"Well," he whispered, "Another lesson well learned."

He tip-toed to the door and had just reached for the knob when a voice stopped him.

"Oi!" Ron called.

"Where do you think you're going?" Harry finished. 

"My work here is done."

"Done?" Harry asked. The both sat up.

"Are you done, Harry?" Ron asked reaching for Harry’s hand.

"Not even close, you?" Harry answered putting their entwined fingers to his lips.

"You know me, I'm a slow learner."

"Really?" Severus asked, walking slowly back to the bed.

"Really. After all, weren't you the one who said you were going to enjoy every moment of your second chance?" Ron asked, getting up on his knees and crawling to the edge of the bed where Severus stood.

"And weren't you the one who said if you couldn't have who you wanted, you'd take what you could get?" Harry asked, joining Ron at the foot of the bed.

"I said that?" Severus asked. "I don't know, that doesn't sound like me at all."

They both reached for him and dragged him back onto the bed where they curled back into him and fell back asleep.

"Yes, my work is done. Now it's time to finally live," Severus murmured with a yawn, wondering how long they could stretch this trail out.

_The End_

**Author's Note:**

> Please show your appreciation for the artist here, or on [LIVEJOURNAL!](http://hp-crossgenfest.livejournal.com/46949.html) ♥


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